Chapter 425: Chapter 421: Take Care of Yourself (Finale)

Due to the matter of the pipa, His Majesty the Emperor remained distant even after returning to the bedroom, his attitude unchanged.

Tang Xiaobai glanced at him and thought for a moment, clasping her hands together and sighing pretentiously, “Even though spring has begun, it’s still a bit cold! After staying outside all night, my hands are freezing.”

Just after she finished speaking, there was a “thud thud thud” from behind, and Ah Song ran up, handing over a hand warmer: “Empress, warm your hands!”

Tang Xiaobai: …

The little clever one in front of her was still eagerly waiting for praise.

Tang Xiaobai had no choice but to take the hand warmer, smiling, “You all may leave, there’s no need to attend to us.”

When she turned back, she noticed His Majesty the Emperor had a faint smile in his eyes, and she couldn’t help but feel embarrassed, shoving the hand warmer into his hand and whispering, “Today is my birthday!”

Li Mu glanced at her, set aside the hand warmer, took her hand, and held it in his palm, gently squeezing it.

As he squeezed, his gaze fell upon her hand, as if seriously, yet casually, creating a strange atmosphere of contradiction.

For some reason, Tang Xiaobai’s face grew slightly warm.

She coughed and withdrew her hand, “That’s all in the past…”

His Majesty the Emperor ambiguously murmured “Hmm” and suddenly asked, “Did you like the piece played today?”

Tang Xiaobai nodded vigorously.

Even if not for the desire to survive, she liked it.

“Do you know the name of the piece?”

“’Confession’,” Tang Xiaobai replied without hesitation, full of confidence.

“Thousand Autumn Joy” is the name of the suite, “Confession” is the name of the section Li Mu played.

Although she had little musical talent, she had taken elective courses to appreciate several common court music pieces, so she wasn’t oblivious to this one.

However, His Majesty the Emperor simply cast her a glance before going off to wash up.

Tang Xiaobai’s overflowing confidence was instantly shattered.

Did she answer incorrectly?

That can’t be!

She quietly ran to the door, opened a crack, and softly asked, “What piece did Your Majesty play today?”

“Wasn’t it ’Confession’?” Tao Zi was equally puzzled.

“Go and ask quickly!”

While washing up, Tang Xiaobai deliberately lingered, waiting until Tao Zi brought back the answer, “It was indeed ’Confession’! However, His Majesty seemed to have made some changes.”

Tsk! He even modified it?

Tang Xiaobai entered the bedroom with a mischievous smile.

After moving to Taiji Palace, the Empress and Emperor both resided in the Emperor’s bedroom in Liangyi Palace.

Originally, Tang Xiaobai intended to move into Lizheng Hall like previous Empresses to prevent His Majesty the Emperor from always sleeping on the makeshift bed by her bed.

But Li Mu refused.

So the dragon bed in Liangyi Palace was one His Majesty the Emperor had never slept on himself.

When she entered, the noble and unmatched His Majesty the Emperor was arranging his makeshift bed for the night.

Tang Xiaobai walked barefoot across the soft ground cover, stood behind him, and gleefully asked, “Did you specifically ask Princess Li to help modify ’Confession’?”

’Confession’ was originally a piece expressing loyalty and submission to the Emperor.

Initially, Tang Xiaobai thought it was a bit cheesy for His Majesty the Emperor to give her such a piece, but learning it was modified, upon careful recall, it indeed seemed softer and more nuanced than the original.

Li Mu murmured “Hmm” while turning back with the quilt in his arms, and was about to set it down, but paused when he lowered his head.

The soft silk mattress was slightly indented by her smooth, jade-like feet.

Perhaps because she had just bathed, her small feet were gleaming and rosy, with round, adorable toes, shyly curling under his gaze, hiding into the indentation of the mattress.

Li Mu suddenly remembered the last time he held her feet in his arms to warm them, and how her toes curled, tickling his…

A hot and itchy sensation sprouted from the place she had tickled, an undercurrent racing through his veins.

Li Mu took a deep breath, let go, and the bedding fell, conveniently covering her feet.

“It’s ’Confession’.” His voice was slightly dry when he spoke.

“What?” Tang Xiaobai sat down on his bed, knees drawn up, chin resting on them, tilting her head to look up at him.

From this angle, she appeared particularly small, both beautiful and cute, tender and appealing.

Li Mu’s heart unexpectedly softened, and he sat down beside her.

As soon as he sat down, the girl seemed to fear he would get cold, and immediately, bustlingly, picked up the quilt to cover him too, asking again while busying herself, “What ’Confession’?”

“After Princess Li revised the piece, I renamed it ’Confession’.”

Her face flushed, and the hands clasped in front of her calves twisted together.

Li Mu pulled her hands over, holding them in his palms with a gentle squeeze and asked deliberately, “Are your hands still cold?”

Her face reddened even more, and she shot him a soft glare.

Just as Li Mu felt a flutter in his heart, he suddenly caught a gleam of mischief in her almond eyes, her voice soft enough to drip water as she spoke——

“Cold—Ah Jiao wants Brother’s abs to warm her hands.”

Li Mu froze, feeling a rush of heat straight to his forehead, even his eyes turning red.

Tang Xiaobai, seeing she had gained the upper hand, gleefully tried to slide her hands under his shirt.

Li Mu quickly caught her, his voice husky and coaxing, “Ah Jiao… don’t…”

These words felt like he was teasing a virtuous woman.

Tang Xiaobai became even more animated, hiding her feet under the covers to playfully kick him.

Ordinarily, with Li Mu’s skills, he wouldn’t be unable to evade such a harmless attack.

But he dodged only partially, getting kicked several times, appearing to somewhat enjoy her advances.

Tang Xiaobai kicked his firm muscles a few times, her heart warming up.

She stopped to watch him for a moment, then lightly kicked him again, “Already an Emperor, yet hasn’t slept on the dragon bed!”

Li Mu’s body seemed to freeze, his eyes shrouded in a misty haze, damp and dark, with his eyes rimmed in red, and the corners appearing as though brushed with rouge, enchanting and bewitching, as if wanting to draw one into an endless abyss.

Every inch of him spelled want, yet his words were of refusal: “Ah Jiao… don’t do this…”

Tang Xiaobai snuggled closer to him.

His Majesty the Emperor immediately shifted away like a chaste maiden.

Tang Xiaobai couldn’t help but laugh, playfully nudging him with her toes.

Just as her toes touched the taut muscle of His Majesty the Emperor, “swish—”, the quilt was suddenly thrown aside.

Li Mu scooped up the increasingly playful Empress and threw her directly onto the bed, pulling the quilt over her tightly.

Only then did he breathe a sigh of relief, straightened up, and said coolly, “It’s getting late, let’s rest!”

Wrapped like a cocoon, Empress Tang blinked her eyes and suddenly asked, “Do you still remember our wedding night?”

Wedding? That night?

The chaotic and upside-down memories caused the heat that had just subsided on Li Mu’s face to surge back again.

“That time it was indeed the influence of some substance…” she lightly sighed.

Li Mu was slightly stunned.

Why bring this up now?

“Without the influence of substances, would I not have been able to make Brother Ah Mu lose control?”

She blinked her bright and innocent eyes, a few rosy and translucent toes stealthily peeking out from the edge of the quilt, shaking slightly, as if beckoning him to come closer.

Li Mu’s eyes suddenly darkened deeply, like a tiger pouncing on its prey, swiftly grabbing hold of the bait she had dangled, his body immediately covering her, fiercely seizing the prey.

The seemingly solid cocoon was easily torn apart, like the claws of a tiger, unstoppable wherever it went.

Moreover, inside the cocoon, there was no hard resistance, as fingers glided over, there was only endless softness.

“Ah Jiao…”

The youth’s voice had never been so hoarse and seductive, making her heart tremble.

Tang Xiaobai thought hazily, maybe it’s okay…

Considered an adult in ancient times…

Just once…

She couldn’t help but whimper softly, actively entwining herself around Li Mu.

Her toe accidentally hooked onto something, and suddenly, the vermilion silk curtain shook down, the light becoming ambiguously dim.

This change caused Li Mu’s actions to pause.

Inside the curtain, the temperature dropped suddenly.

“Ah Jiao…” His voice was both hoarse and desirous, under the dim light, his gaze became even deeper and more alluring, “Ah Jiao, I’ve grown up… but you… you’re still young…”

Tang Xiaobai breathed lightly, not daring to move.

Logically, she knew she was still young, but… she really liked seeing him lose control because of her, what to do?

“Li Mu—”

“I still have a few memorials to read! You sleep first! Be good!” He gave her a forceful kiss, perhaps fearing she might say more, Li Mu swiftly and cleanly exited the curtain.

In the blink of an eye, he was gone from her sight, followed by the sound of a door opening.

Tang Xiaobai was quiet for a moment, slowly pulling up the quilt, covering herself bit by bit.

Until even her face was covered, she suddenly covered her face through the quilt, rolling on the bed, screaming…

…

During the Lantern Festival, the palace also had colorful lights and built-up towers, but they had all been removed by now.

In front of Liangyi Palace, only the moonlight covered the wide space.

As soon as Li Mu exited Liangyi Palace, he saw Qin Xiao lazily leaning against the wall outside the corridors between the palace pavilions.

“Neglect of duty.” Li Mu commented plainly.

Qin Xiao smiled, stepping on the handrail of the corridor, in a few quick movements, he was in front of Li Mu.

“Leading the imperial guard is really too boring!” Qin Xiao complained.

“Where do you want to go?”

Qin Xiao smiled.

His beauty was unparalleled, a smile that could topple a city, but the moonlight reflected in his eyes added a touch of pale fragility.

“Doesn’t Li Xingyuan want to stay in the Capital City? Let Your Majesty send me to Fengzhou? Someone needs to guard Surrender City, doesn’t it?”

Li Mu looked at him deeply.

“Alright.”

Qin Xiao happily bowed in gratitude, “Thank Your Majesty for the grace!” He lifted his head, his gaze drifted momentarily, then, with a cheeky smile, said, “While I’m not in the Capital City, Your Majesty should take good care of yourself.”

Li Mu gave a light snort.

He would take care, year by year, day by day, morning and night.

Need anyone to tell him that?

Qin Xiao smiled again, not on night duty anymore, he turned and with brisk steps headed towards the palace gate.

Li Mu stood with hands behind his back in front of the hall, watching him walk further and further away.

As he reached the palace gate, his light and cheerful steps abruptly halted without warning.

Li Mu snorted softly, thinking, if he dares to look back, I’ll gouge out his eyes!

In the shadow of the palace gate, Qin Xiao’s shoulder seemed to slowly turn back.

Suddenly, he lifted his foot again, in a usual manner, crossed that palace gate.

Without looking back…

(End of text)

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep